“I’ve talked to Washington about that, Dave,” replied Howard. “The US has now moved to DEFCON 1. That’s ready for nuclear release. They’ll be making it very clear to Moscow through diplomatic channels that any recourse to nuclear, even battlefield, tactical weapons, will result in the launch of US ICBMs—which would mean the total destruction of several Russian cities for starters. The President has also talked to the Brits and the French, who have reduced notice to fire for their submarine-launched ICBMs to fifteen minutes. They’ve commenced targeting and prepared launch codes. We’re looking MAD, mutually assured destruction, in the face.”

“Do you really mean that, SACEUR? Will President Dillon really put US cities in the firing line?”

Howard reflected for a moment before speaking quietly. “Everything I’ve seen of President Dillon tells me she is serious about this and won’t blink first. She realizes only too well that if she hesitates today, chances are that she’ll face the same problem tomorrow. But next time without NATO to support her. She’s a very different animal to the last President and we’ve got to make sure the Russians understand that.”

“That makes Rasputin critical,” commented McKinlay. “If it fails, it’s either mission abort or we’re into a bloody conventional fight with the near guarantee of nuclear exchange . . . There’s a lot hanging on the shoulders of that young woman at GCHQ and her geeky mates.”

“Let’s move on. Skip, take me back to your comfort zone,” said Howard. “Even strategic commanders occasionally need to get into the tactical detail when there’s so much hanging on it. I’d like to go through the op to secure the nuclear command bunker at Pravdinsk again. After all, that’s the fulcrum on which everything else hangs.” It was time to be positive.

“As you know, SACEUR, the air assault will be preceded by a twelve-man ODA from the 1st Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group, based in Stuttgart. They’re being inserted covertly by HAHO parachute drop, ahead of the main heliborne force. They’re good to go on your final order.

“The Brit team which infiltrated in from Lithuania—the guys who’ve been working with the Forest Brothers—are waiting for them right now. Once they’ve joined up they’ll be the pathfinders for the main air assault. They’re also trained to immobilize the C2 circuitry of the Iskander nuclear-missile batteries once we’ve broken through the defenses and suppressed the compounds.”

“And then?”

“This slide shows a satellite photo of the compound south of Pravdinsk.” At this point Williams pointed out the ground: the small town of Pravdinsk and, four miles to its south, the compound with the nuclear command and control bunker. Next he pointed to the forest line to the north, with the open ground to the north of that selected as the LZ, the helicopter landing zone.